Chapter 4 - Jackie’s secret

It was mid-morning back at the house. Jake, Lauren, Jackie, had all upped and left, Violet was also up. No surprises that Chris and Andy were still in bed, they had completed a global journey, seeing sights on all continents, but Drake, well, he seemed like he was just having a lazy day. After she’d finished her coffee and cigarette, she began to potter about, flicking the TV on, eventually settling on a music channel to enable her to do other things rather than getting stuck on watching TV and doing nothing for hours on end. Today, she had chosen to throw on some older clothes, a pair of jeans with holes at the knees, and a top that was less than flattering. No doubt Chris would love her regardless, after all, they had been married ten years. She was in a cleaning mode, and, having seen the amount of dirty laundry to be done, and knowing what her brother and partner were like, it would take forever to get done if left for them, so she started by unpacking Andy’s stuff. Chris had a wardrobe full up in the bedroom still, he could last a few more days at least.

After finishing her run, which she’d gone twice as far on, Jackie decided she would pop into Neville’s and pick up a drink of water. It was still a bit of a warm day, and she had just spent forty-five minutes on a continuous bout of exercise.
“Morning Neville,” she said as she walked in, a little sweaty, but only to be expected.
“Good morning Jackie, how was your run this morning?” Neville asked.
“It was bizarre. I had so much energy left after normal distance, I went and did it all again,” she replied.
“Wow, that’s impressive. I wish I had the looks to go for a run. Might get a few tongues wagging around the village if I did it though,” Neville sighed. His physical body had aged seemingly faster than his years of existence in the world.
“I’m sure you could do something,” said Jackie, enthusiastically. “Never say never, and don’t give up at the first attempt. I learned that the hard way back in school, and I’ve never looked back since.”
Neville looked straight at her. “These joints aren’t what they used to be my dear,” he moped.
“If you want to do it, you will. If you don’t, that’s your choice too. Its not my place to say,” she admitted. “I best get on, I have to go visit my friend up at the church. Think I need to freshen up first though.”
“I would, if I were you. Take care,” Neville called as he went through to the back for some more stock to put on the shelves.

“This is really sweet of you Jake,” said Lauren, as they’d just about finished eating their breakfast hamper. “I daresay when I first moved down here, I wasn’t expecting any of what’s happened so far. It’s almost like a fairytale to me.”
“I have to agree with you on the fairytale part,” Jake replied. “After meeting so many people around the world, I wasn’t anticipating finding the most beautiful girl I’d ever set eyes upon living and working in my home community. My parents brought me up here, but then when I was old enough they decided to relocate to a city somewhere else. If it wasn’t for my uncle Neville, I wouldn’t still be here.”v “I’m not beautiful,” Lauren blushed, but Jake interrupted her. “Sorry to interrupt, but I believe you are. You have an oscar-winning smile, a beautiful personality, a willingness to learn, and a gorgeous singing voice. Who knows, we may even become a duo and go into the cities playing in pubs and clubs, to get heard.”
“We could do that?” she asked.
“I think we could, a little practice, and maybe me learning some harmonies,” he responded. “It’s an idea.”

“Hey Vi,” said Jackie, as she returned from her run. “You ok hun?”
“Sure, just a little annoyed at the boys laziness today. It’s almost eleven and Chris, Drake, and Andy, are all still in bed,” groaned Violet.
“Drake has always been lazy though, hasn’t he. Lets face it, I knew what I was getting into,” Jackie confirmed what Violet already knew about her younger brother.
“This is true. With Chris and Andy though its slightly different, they did tour the whole world inside six months, so I can’t really complain,” Violet said.
“I’ve got to go freshen up. You remember Harry? I’m meeting him up at the church in a little bit, going to go play catch up,” Jackie explained.
“Harry? Lord almighty!” exclaimed Violet. “Wasn’t he the one who always rebelled against any rules that were set out in front of him?”
“Yeah. He claims to have changed now though, and that he’s found his, ‘peace with god’,” Jackie responded. “Though I’m not sure I fully believe that, until I see it with my own eyes anyway.”
“If you see it with yours, I’ll believe you,” giggled Violet. “You crack on, I’m going to be busy all day with this lot.”
With that Jackie took herself off to freshen up. Having worn the ankle-length dress for the welcome home party, she decided to pop on her pink frock. It was a little revealing but Drake knew she was often chatted up.

There was a little knock on the door. Violet was still the only one left in the house that was awake, so she was the only one who could answer it. When she did so, it wasn’t Derek as she might have thought. Neither was it Jake or Lauren coming back. Jackie had just gone out, having spotted Neville at work, and also dropping the hint that the post office was open so Simon was in work too. The three boys were still in bed. Who was it?

“Oh…. My… God….!” Violet exclaimed. “Do come in! I’ll go and see if I can wake him. Make yourself at home, the kettles there the mugs are in one of the cupboards above.”
Violet raced up the stairs.

Up at the church, Jackie was a little early. Harry had asked her to meet at eleven-thirty, and there was a few minutes to spare. Looking around the church, she spotted Jake and Lauren having such a good laugh with their music, that she didn’t see him creep up behind her. The next thing she knew, she had tape over her mouth and was bundled into the boot of a black Mercedes. Where she was going she had no idea. All she knew was that she was frightened as to what might happen next.

“Andy!” she cried. “Andy get up! There’s a surprise visitor here for you!”
Her older brother rolled over and opened his eyes slowly. “What’s the time?”
“It’s eleven-thirty, but get up, you will be surprised!” she shook him a little. “I’ll get the kettle on.”
“Ok, I’ll be down in ten minutes.”
Violet raced back downstairs to the surprise visitor.

The visitor was a young man, recently having turned twenty, and he was of a similar build to Andy. He didn’t have Andy’s hair colour, his was more a dark brown, just like his mother, Crystelle. He did have moustache as well, but no beard, as he didn’t wish to be just like Chris.
Andy and Crystelle hadn’t worked out, and had finalised a divorced two years ago, but this young man was keen to retain the family values, which were, ‘if two people you know and like fall out, you stay friends with both because they haven’t done you no harm. The only difference was that they were his parents.

In the middle of all the fun they were having with the music, Jake stopped for a second. He thought he’d heard a bit of a squeal. “Sorry, sweetie, I just want to check I wasn’t hearing things.” He raced over the bridge, and up to the church. While doing so he heard the screech of tyres in a wheel-spin, which was the car he saw furiously driving away as he got there. He did manage to catch the number plate, well, most of it. “H4 RR*” He couldn’t make out the last letter. Running back to Lauren, he said, “We have to go back, now. I think something has happened, and it doesn’t look good. I’ll explain when I talk to everyone.”
Lauren looked a little scared. “What’s gone on?”
“You know I thought I was hearing things?” Jake said.
“Yea.” Lauren replied, apprehensively.
“I don’t think I was. I saw a car speeding away from the church after a wheel-spin. And got all but one letter of the number plate,” he said, panting after the speed he’d run to get a look.
“Oh my god. What are we going to do?” She was voicing concern, although timidly.
His response was simple. “We are going to unite as a community, and see if we can work out who may have disappeared. It’s a small village, there’s not that many people here. Let’s go!”
He grabbed the guitar and the hamper box. She grabbed the tablecloth.

After what felt like an age cooped up in the back of this black Mercedes, the boot was finally reopened. Jackie was shaking with fear, but that didn’t stop her captors from roughly dragging her out, tying her hands behind her back, and her legs together too so she couldn’t kick out. All she could notice was the darkness of the area. Very little light around, woodland surrounding, black tarpaulin covering where any source of natural light would have filtered through. Dragged through this darkness, she found herself blindfolded too. Now she couldn’t see, or speak. But when she was eventually released, she was forced to sit on an old wooden chair. On which her hands were tied.
“Remove the blindfold!” barked a voice from the sides. “I want her to see my face!”
Now she was really scared, but she was helpless to do anything. She felt the blindfold lift from her face. And she stared in disbelief.
“Now I’m going to remove the tape. There’s no point in screaming, no one will hear you. We are in the middle of nowhere,” barked the angered voice.
The voice belonged to someone she knew, but unless he said his name, she couldn’t quite picture it. This guy had long, wavy hair, past his shoulders in length. He was six foot two, and looked like he was a former club bouncer. Not usually one to be messed with.
The tape was removed from her mouth. She got her breath back.
“Remember me?” the barking voice smoothed over.
“Not off the top of my head I don’t,” she squeaked.
“Are you sure?” he seemed persistent.
“I can picture you but I can’t remember you name.” She was a little more forceful this time.
“Its Harry. Harry Davis. The one who was always rebelling. The one you were too naïve to believe may have changed his ways.” He laughed with a hint of evilness.
“This was all a con? To get me here? To be your… puppet?” She was fairly vocal given that she couldn’t move her hands or feet.
“You are in no position to say anything my dear, sweet, Jacqueline,” he smiled.
She turned and spat on his face.
He grabbed her mouth, “I wouldn’t be so foolish if I were you, Jacqueline. It wouldn’t get you very far,” he snarled. “Johnson. Bring me the pipe,” he barked at one of the guys who’d dragged her from the car. Turning back to her, he said “Now we are going to see just what happens to good girls who go bad. You are going to smoke this pipe, whether voluntarily, or forced.”
“You’ll have to force me, I wouldn’t do anything voluntarily for you, you snivelling, pathetic, coward….”
“ENOUGH! JOHNSON, WHERE’S THIS PIPE?”
A humble side to the rough handler, “here sir.”
“So, Jacqueline doesn’t want to play nice. She wants to play games?” He sneered. “I guess I’ll have to force you to smoke this myself.”
She was outnumbered. And had no freedom of her limbs. The pressure of so many against her, wasn’t going to work. She gave in, and started smoking the pipe. The effects of this pipe were to fuel her with drugs that would make her do his bidding regardless.
“Are you still in your right mind?” He asked.
She nodded.
“Do you give your consent?”
She nodded faintly.
“Take one more puff.”
She did as she was told. She passed out.

Andy was stumbling down the stairs. Violet was still super excited and didn’t want to give this away. With her screaming, it woke Drake and Chris up. “What’s all this commotion for?” cried Drake.
“Get your lazy butt out of bed and come see for yourself,” chirped Violet. Chris was dressed quicker than Drake but soon they were all in the sitting room. “Ok, coming through,” called Violet.
Andy couldn’t believe his eyes. Drake had to rub his eyes twice to make sure he wasn’t seeing things. And Chris knew already. He hadn’t told Andy because that would have spoiled the surprise.
“Trevor! What are you doing here?” Andy was shocked.
“Hello, father,” Trevor replied. “I’ve come to see how your trip was. I heard you were going and was expected back last night.”
“Who told you? I didn’t think anyone knew?” Chris intervened.
Violet was still too excited herself. “I sent a letter first-class yesterday. He must have got it handed to him on route by someone Derek knows.”
“There’s always one,” chuckled Drake.
Suddenly the door burst open. Jake and Lauren had made it back.
“Hold the phone.. Where’s the fire?” asked Andy.
Jake relayed what he thought he’d heard, and then what he’d seen. “A number plate,” he panted, “H4 RR*. I didn’t get a good enough look at the last letter.”
Violet dropped to the floor. “Oh no, oh no no no no no!”
“Sis, what’s up. You have to tell us?” Andy, and Drake said in unison.
“I… think.. It has something to do with.. Jackie.” Violet whimpered. “She said about meeting someone up at the church. Someone… called… Harry,” Her voice tailed off.
“Harry? That would explain the missing letter!!” Chris cried out. Getting a piece of paper he drew it out for the others to see.
“How many Harry’s do you know of Vi?” Chris pressed. “This is important!”
“Two, or Three.” Violet tried to stay firm, but the disappointment was evident.
“What could their last names be?” Chris was determined.
“Harry.. Bones… Harry.. Smith… or Harry…,Rebellious Harry…” Violet was a bit shaken by now.
Andy racked his brains. Chris didn’t quite know Jackie as well as Violets brothers. Drake paced up and down, “My Jackie… My Jackie…”
Jake walked with him, “take a breath, in for three seconds out for five. Just try and stay with us.”
“Eureka!” cried Andy… “Rebellious Harry is Harry Davis! The question is, how to go about finding him?”
Chris pondered for a moment. The cops would take time. Could they get any more information out of Violet herself?

Jackie could feel some breeze in her hair. It was all roughed up. Her make-up had been smeared across her face, her pretty pink frock was in tatters, and her underwear, was down around her ankles. She felt sore, in three areas. Her mouth ached, as did her vaginal cavity and anal passage. She burst into tears as she pieced together where the aches were. She knew what had happened. She’d been raped, but couldn’t remember whether she’d consented to it or not. She just had no recollection of the actual event taking place. There was no-one around. It was like she had been dumped in the middle of nowhere. Stumbling to her feet and pulling her underwear up to hide the physical looks of the abuse, she slowly started walking. She didn’t know where she was going, nor did she know where she was going to end up. Did she remember anything about what had happened? Only that she was thrown in the back of a car, and that she was forced to smoke a pipe that contained a date-rape drug. After a while she found a road. There were no road signs, so she opted to walk down the hill. Her feet soon covered in blisters. She felt violated and ashamed. Could she bear to face anyone if she was headed in the direction to the village?

It seemed like forever had passed, but the daylight was still there. There had been no sign of any cars for a few hours now, and she was struggling to keep going. She hadn’t eaten for over twenty-four hours, and could barely make out something that looked like a shelter up ahead. Out of nowhere a white Vauxhall Corsa pulled up. The driver was a twenty-nine year old blonde haired, brown eyed, female of a very similar build. She introduced herself as Angela. Jackie didn’t know who Angela was, but felt like she wanted to be alone. In trying to push Angela away, she collapsed to the floor in a heap. She had run out of energy and was fading fast. Angela scooped her up, and put her in the front passenger seat.
“I’m going to help you,” said Angela. “I know you don’t believe me, and it looks to me like something has happened. I won’t push and pry for you to tell me anything, I just think we need to get you checked out. If not, at least come back to mine and I’ll give you a change of clothes.”
Angela handed over a box of tissues. “You’ll need these for now. I can sense a breakdown.”
Jackie really didn’t know who Angela was, or why she was being so kind. But somehow she managed to utter, “Thank you,” before drifting off into a sleep.